Gipsy

(g soft). Said to be a corruption of Egyptian,
and so called because in 1418 a band of them appeared in Europe,
commanded by a leader named Duke Michael of “Little Egypt.” Other
appellations are:

(2) Bohemians. So called by the French, because the first
that ever arrived in their country came from Bohemia in 1427, and
presented themselves before the gates of Paris. They were not allowed
to enter the city, but were lodged at La Chapelle, St. Denis. The
French nickname for gipsies is cagoux (unsociables).

(3) Ciganos So called by the Portuguese, a corruption of
Zinga'nè.

(4) Gitanos. So called by the Spaniards, a corruption of
Zinga'nè.

(5) Heidens (heathens). So called by the Dutch, because they
are heathens.

(6) Pharaoh-nepek (Pharaoh's people). So called in Hungary,
from the notion that they came from Egypt.

(7) Sinte. So called
by themselves, because they assert that they came from Sind, i.e.
Ind (Hindustan).

(8) Tatar. So called by the Danes and Swedes, from the notion
that they came from Tartary.

(9) Tchingani or Tshingani. So called by the Turks,
from a tribe still existing at the mouth of the Indus

(Tshin-calo, black Indian).

(10) Walachians. So called by the Italians, from the notion
that they came from Walachia.

(11) Zigeuner (wanderers). So called by the Germans.

(12) Zincali or Zingani. Said to be so called by the
Turks, because in 1517 they were led by Zinganeus to revolt from Sultan
Selim; but more likely a mere variety of Tchingani (q.v..)

Their language, called “Romany,” contains about 5,000 words, the
chief of which are corrupt Sanskrit. There is a legend that these
people are waifs and strays on the earth, because they refused to
shelter the Virgin and her child in their flight to Egypt. (Aventinus, Annales Boiorum, chap. viii.)